Tank closure



J. w. ACKLEY June 23, 1959 TANK CLOSURE Filed Aug. 1, 1956 I INVENTOR. JOHN w. ACKLEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent TANK CLOSURE John W. Ackley, Moline, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Deere & Company, a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1956, Serial No. 601,566

5 Claims. (Cl. 220--24.5)

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to air and liquid tight closures for fertilizer tanks and the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of a liquid and airtight closure for.fertilizer tanks and the like in which the closure is in the nature of a relatively large part, the size of which accommodates the hand and/or arm of the operator when it is desired to reach into the tank for the purpose of cleaning the same, applying or removing parts, and/ or other purposes.

More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide a tank lid or closure in which new and improved sealing means is provided whereby, without interfering with the ready removability of the closure, the latter may be =firmly and tightly connected in place on the tank. Still'further, it is a feature of this invention to provide a rigid tank lid of closure, with a flexible sealing member that is particularly. formed so as to have one portion between the rigid part of the closure and the tank and the other portion interlocking'with the tank on the underside of the latter, with associated clamping or compressing means whereby an airtight and liquid tight seal is provided'when the closure is secured in place.

. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing closure means for fertilizer tank, 'in which the features of the present invention have been incorporated, showing the closure parts in the position they occupy when the closure parts are arranged to be placed in the tank opening and before theclosure is sealed to the tank.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing the closure parts in their closed liquid and airtight relation.

The fertilizer tank shown in Fig. 1 is indicated by the reference numeral and comprises a metallic structure having a tank opening 11. The opening 11 is formed with a radially inwardly and upwardly extending lip 12. The closure is indicatedin its entirety by the reference numeral 15 and comprises an upper generally circular plate or top lid member 16 having a beaded peripheral portion 17 that is shaped so as to provide an upwardly offset downwardly facingrecessed or groove portion 18 having, a generally flat section 19. and, radially outwardly thereof, a,downwardly and outwardly extending angled portion 21, The latter portionis arranged to occupy the same angular relationship with respect to the horizontal as the laterally inwardly and upwardly extending tank flange or lip 12.

The closure 15 also includes a lower rigid member 24, to which detailed reference will he made below, and between the members 16 and 24 there is a rubber like annular sealing gasket member 25, generally formed as a ring. The ring member 25, in cross-section, presents an upper flat section 26, and an outer downwardly and laterally outwardly extending section 27, the angularity of which corresponds to the angularity of the lip 12 and the edge portion 21 of the plate or lid member 16. The diameter of the flange portion 27 of the sealing member 25 is such that the section 27 overlies and snugly engages the lip portion 12 of the tank opening.

The sealing gasket member 25 also includes a depending portion that is generally U-shaped in section, as indicated at 31 in Fig. 1, and this portion has an outer leg section 32 that is joined to the upper planar section 26 and the downwardly flared section 27 substantially at the juncture therebetween. The U-shaped portion 31 also includes a laterally inner leg section that is spaced laterally inwardly of the outer like section 32, the outside diameter of the U-shaped section 31 being such that this portion passes readily into the tank opening but fits generally snugly against the edge of said opening. Normally, in the unstressed condition of the sealing gasket member 25, the inner leg portion 35 is spaced downwardly from the flat upper section 26, and the radially innermost edge of the latter section is provided with a downwardly extending rib 36 that lies radially inwardly a small distance relative to the adjacent edge 35 of the sealing member 25. The rigid lower plate member 24 is provided with an upturned radially outer edge 38, and radially inwardly thereof a rib portion 39, thereby providing between said portions a gasket-receiving groove 41. Both upper and lower'lid members 16 and 24 are apertured centrally to receive a latch bolt 44 the head 45 of which is disposed below the lower plate member 24, with a sealing washer 46 therebetween. The upper end of the latch bolt 44 extends through the opening in thtop plate member 16 and is apertured to receive a pin 47 on which a cam latch lever'48 is disposed. The cam sections 49 of the latch 48 are so shaped that when the lower lid part 24 is moved upwardly toward the upper lid part 16, the sealing gasket member 25 is securely compressed therebetween, as will be seen'from Fig; 2; Fig; 1 shows the sealing parts in their unstressed or unclamped position, from which it will readily be seen that the closure unit 15 may readily 'be inserted in the tank opening 12.

When the cam member 48 is swung in a direction to compress the sealing gasket 25, the upper edge 35 is first brought into sealing relation with respect to the rib 36, thereby defining an air chamber 50. With further compression of the sealing member 25,'as will be clear from Fig. 2, the air chamber 50 is expanded, causing the outer like or wall portion 32 to be deflected laterally outwardly into a position underneath the lip 12 of the fertilizer tank. At the same time, the downward pressure of the came or latch member 48 against the upper or top lid member 16 results in firmly pressing the upper flared section 27 of the closure against the outer face of the tank lip 12. Thus, by clamping the closure structure positively and firmly against both the upper and lower sides of the tank lip, the tank is then air and liquid tight, the air in the chamber 50 remaining under compression and serving thereby to resiliently maintain the sealing member tightly engaged and in contact with both upper and lower sides of the tank flange or lip 12.

While I have shown and described above the particular structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details, shown and described, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A closure for a tank opening having a generally inwardly and upwardly extending relatively thin lip, a sealing gasket comprising a member having an upper, downwardly and laterally outwardly extending portion, having substantially the same angularity as said lip and adapted to lie generally flat against the outer side of said lip, and a depending section adapted to pass through said opening and formed so as to be relatively thin and of sufficient axial length so as to be expandable generally laterally outwardly into folded relation with one portion in contact with the underside of said lip, a top member adapted to overlie said lip and said sealing gasket and having a circumferential portion extending outwardly and downwardly in complementary angular relation with said inwardly and upwardly extending lip, a lower member bearing against said depending section, and means for moving the lower member toward the upper member to press the circumferential portion and said upper portion of the gasket member down against the upper side of said lip, and to press the lower folded portion of said depending section against the upper folded portion and the latter portion upwardly into contact with the lower face of said lip.

2. A closure for a tank opening having a generally inwardly extending lip, a sealing gasket comprising a member having an upper portion adapted to lie generally flat against the outer side of said lip and a depending section adapted to pass through said opening, means forming an annular hollow-closed air chamber on said depending section adapted, when compressed, to expand generally laterally outwardly into contact with the underside of said lip, a lower rigid member having marginal portions engageable with said air chamber means and adapted, when forced thereagainst, to compress the air chamber means, and means connected with said rigid member for moving the latter in a direction to compress said air chamber.

3. A closure for a tank opening having a generally inwardly extending lip, a sealing gasket comprising a member having an upper portion adapted to lie generally flat against the outer side of said lip and a depending section adapted to pass through said opening, said depending section including a portion that is generally U-shaped in cross section, one leg of which is connected with the upper portion of said gasket member while the other leg, when unstressed, is spaced from said upper portion, means on the latter to sealingly receive the upper edge of said one leg so as to form an annular hollow closed air chamber when said depending section is compressed axially to an extent sufiicient to bring said other leg into engagement with said leg-receiving means, a lower rigid member having marginal portions engageable with said air chamber means and adapted, when forced thereagainst, to compress the air chamber means, and means connected with said rigid member for moving the latter in a direction to compress said air chamber means and thereby force the latter laterally outwardly into engagement with the underside of said lip.

4. A closure for a tank opening having a generally radially inwardly and upwardly extending lip, a sealing gasket comprising an annular member having in cross section an upper generally planar section, a downwardly and outwardly flared section joined to the radially outer part of said planar section, and an inner U-shaped section having its laterally outer leg joined to said planar and flared sections adjacent the juncture thereof and its laterally inner leg spaced inwardly from the outer leg a distance suflicient to dispose the edge of the inner leg adjacent and in a position to contact the underside of the radially inner edge portion of said planar section, the outside diameter of the U-shaped section being such that the U-shaped section may be passed through the tank opening so as to bring said flared portion against the outer side of said lip and the U-shaped section on the inside of said lip, a tank lid top comprising a rigid memher having a radially outer portion shaped to fit against the outer faces of said planar and flared sections, a tank lid bottom disposed at the inner side of said sealing gaskct and having a radially outer portion shaped to embrace the bottom portion of said U-shaped section, and means carried by the top member and connected with the bottom member for moving the latter toward the top member, such movement serving to move the edge of the inner leg section of the U-shaped section against the adjacent inner face of the planar section so that the U-shaped section forms an angular air chamber, that upon further movement of the bottom member toward the top member, acts to deflect portions of said U-shaped section outwardly underneath the tank lip in contacting relation and cooperating with the top member to bring the flaring portion of said sealing gasket against the outer face of the tank lip in sealing relation.

5. A closure for a tank opening having a generally radially inwardly extending lip, a sealing gasket comprising an annular member having in cross section an upper generally planar section, an outer section joined to the radially outer part of said planar section, and an inner U-shaped section having its laterally outer leg joined to said planar and outer sections adjacent the juncture thereof and its laterally inner leg spaced inwardly from the outer leg a distance sufiicient to dispose the edge of the inner leg adjacent and in a position to contact the underside of the radially inner edge portion of said planar section, the outside diameter of the U-shaped section being such that the U-shaped section may be passed through the tank opening so as to bring said outer section against the outer side of said lip and the U-shaped section on the inside of said lip, a tank lid top comprising a rigid member having a radially outer portion shaped to fit against the outer faces of said planar and outer sections, a tank lid bottom disposed at the inner side of said sealing gasket and having a radially outer portion shaped to embrace the bottom portion of said U-shaped section, and means carried by the top member and connected with the bottom member for moving the latter toward the top member such movement serving to move the edge of the inner leg section of the U-shaped section against the adjacent inner face of the planar section so that the U-shaped section forms an annular air chamber that, upon further movement of the bottom member toward the top member, acts to deflect portions of said U-shaped section outwardly underneath the tank lip in contacting relation and cooperating with the top member to bring the outer portion of said sealing gasket against the outer face of the tank lip in sealing relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,363,804 Mohn Dec. 28, 1920 2,092,182 Roy Sept. 7, 1937 2,729,353 Moeller Jan. 3, 1956 2,773,554 Lindorf Dec. 11, 1956 2,782,958 Hurley Feb. 26, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 2,891,694 June 23, 1959 John W, Ackley It is hereby certified that error appears in, the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 1'7, for "angular" read annular lines 5'? and 58, for "relationship" read relation Signed and sealed this fjri iday of November 1959,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H, AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofiicer Commissioner of Patents 

